Variable discharge mechanism



Dec. 4, 1951 2,577,3l5

T. R. ELLERBECK VARIABLE DISCHARGE MECHANISM Filed April 12, 1946 3 Sheet s-Sheet l INVENTOR: THOMAJ R. ELLERBECK,

ATTORNEYS.

1951 v T. R. ELLERBECK 3 VARIABLE DISCHARGE MECHANISM 4 Filed April 12, 1346 &Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTO R NEYS.

Patenta& Dec. 4, 1951 UNITED-:STATES PATENT OFFICE I I &mil a DIoHARGE -MECHANISM Thomas JR'. Er m Salt LakeCity, Utah Application April 12, 1946, Serial No. 661,535 p variable. discharge tion Ser. No. 438,047, filed April 7, 1942, entitled "Methods of Calcining and Calcining Apparatus," now Patent No. 2,45L024, dated October' l`2, 1948. Embodiments of the novel variabledischarge mechanism may be'used for 'regulating the dis charge'from'a variety of 'types of material-treat ment or processing chambersyespecially those where very close control' over discharge'is-nece'ssary or desirable. An outstanding example is the calcining apparatus of -my above-nientioned copending application Ser. No. 438,()47.

'In some` instances, use of the novelvariable discharge' mechanism wi1l=be found advantageous for: the purpose of feeding material in controlled amounts from a supply thereof, according to a preconceived pattern. l u i Among the objects of the invention are the following: r V 3 v r First: To provide discharge mechanism which is capable of varying the rate of discharge of material at various locations along a single dis charge'opening relative to other locations' along the same opening. ,ll 1 t Second: To provide discharge mechanism which is capable of varying, thusly,`the rate of' dis'charge of material through a 'plurality of openings relatively to one anothen v Third: To provide mechanism that' will`con`- trol, thusly, the flow through a plurality of discharge openings; by means of a single drive arrangement. i i

.Eourth.:To provide discharge mechanism, as set Vforth above, wherein .the drive is variable speed means which Will readily change the speed of travel of the discharge mechanism, and,.consequently, the total rate of discharge 'of material without changing the proportional flow through each opening or through various sections of each opening. V i

Fifth: To provide mechanism thai-,sis comparatively economical :to operate and' to maintain in good running condition, and in which' necessary adjustments can be easily made Without shut downs. i p Sixth; To provide mechanism that is relativelyv inexp iv t onstruct.,; i

.`A veryvuseful and preerred type of apparatus pursuant to the invention includes a plurality, of 'elongated 'feed spouts forming a series of gravity' discharge openings, the elongated aXes of the discharge'openings being substantially parallel to each other. Discharge mechanism is mounted below the series of discharge openings, and is arranged to be driven by a single variable speed drive. The discharge mechanism is adjustable, so that the discharge from and, flow through the several openings in the series may be varied differentially relative to one another, and'so that the flow from any discharge opening' of the series maybe varied differentially along the length 'of that'discharge opening.

These and other objects and'features of the invention'w'ill be more fully understoodfrom the.followingdetaileddescription of the several specific' embodiments illustrated in the accom panying drawings, in which:

` Fig. 1' represents alongitudinal vertical section taken centrally through aicalcining apparatus of 'my above-mentioned application Ser. No. 438,047, one preferred form of discharge mechanismpursuant to the present invention being employed therewith;

Fig. 2, an enlarged detail View of that portion of Fig. 1 enclosed by the dotted line 2, illustrating actual discharge of material;

' Fig; 3j an end elevation of the pile of discharged 'material shown in the'extreme 'lower part of Fg( 1;

i Figl l, a fragmentary vertical section taken on the "line 4-4 of Fig. 1: i

` Fig.`5, a View in perspective looking down upon the discharge mechanism per se, illustrating certain of the more prominent parts thereof Fig. 6, a fragmentary top plan View of the 'extreme left-hand portion of the apparatus of Fig. 1, showing a preferred arrangement of drive means' for the variable discharge mechanism;

lFig; 7.; a diagram indicating some of the possible movements of a displacement bar of the discharge mechanism;

Figs. 8 through BD, detail perspective views, illustrating, respectively, various ways' in which theprofile of a displacernent bar might be configurated for aehieving various desired additive difierential discharge effects along any one discharge opening;

Fig. 9, a view similar to that of Fig. 2, but illustrating the use of a differently configurated displacement bar; u

Fig. 10,-a fragmentary detail View, somewhat enlarged, of a dierent type of selectively settable ,control mean for the displacement bars;

nate construction, wherein the stop plate, rather' than the displacement member,' is;arranged3toibe;

moved;

Fig. 14, a vertical section taken-on theline 14-14, Fig. 13;

Fig. 15, a plan of the movable stop plane above;

Fig. 16, a View substantialiy corresponding to that of Fig. 5, but illustrating another Construction of variable discharge mechanism' pursuantto the invention;

Fig. 17, a fragmentary side e1evation, part1y in section, of the inventive embodiment of Fig. 16 draWn to an enlarged scale; and

Fig. 18, a View in perspective of a fragmentary detail of Fig. 16.

Referring tothe drawings: the calcining apparatus of Fig. 1, which ishere on1ysketchily described because it is merely incidental to the invention proper, is equipped with the variable discharge mechanism of Figs. 4, 5 and 6, and includes a calcining chamber or zone na, dened laterally by refractory side walls, as at ll2, and reiractory end walls ll3.and 4.

Crushed material 55, such as limestone; descends from storage bins 55,-.to a feed hopper-*ISU under the influence of gravity, where it' passes through a plurality of chutes l !5: into ;the calcining chamber HD in accordancewith the controlled discharge of the calcined material l5i effected by operation of the variable discharge mechanism of the invention. For convenience; only a portion of the crushed material 55,and calcined material l5l are here llustrated; it being understood that such material extends throughout the 'complete breadth :of fthe:binrhopierz and 'calcining -chamber. i

By means of respective sliding sleeves I !6, the chutes 5 maybe Shortened or length'ened to vary the effective height of material within'the calcining chamber HD. Rotation of hand-wheel !29, and, therewith, of the'shaft'l l'l,` accomplishes this by raising or lowering thesleeves relative'to their respective chutes, through suitable' rock and pinion mechanism.

The calcination is accomplished withinthe calcining chamber ll!) by means ofgases thatare conditioned to the proper temperaturein acombustion or tempering chamber, which is advantageously disposed laterally of the calcining chamber against the refractory side wall ll2 thereof, and preferably extends substantiallycoextensive therewith in it longitudinal dimension;

The tempered gases are drawn, preferably by an induced draft, into direct contact with the material in the calcining chamber, through ports which extend through the refractory wall H2 separating the tw chambers. These ports are preferably arranged in tiers, and'arein registry with corresponding blind tunnels orpassages 222, 223 and 224, respectively, that extend completely across the calcining chamber and terminate in respective transparently-closed observation ports disposed in the opposite refractory side wall;

' In their extension across thecalcining-chamber;

the tunnels or passages are at least partially defined by respective tunnel elements !25, and at least partially by the intersti-ced floor surfaces 225 formed by the material to be calcined in assuming its natural angle of repose under the tunnel elements. The tempered gases of combustion flowing through the tunnels filter into and through ?the material to be calcined by way of the intersticed.fioor-definingssurfaces 225;

The several refractory walls defining the calcining chamber o are preferably mounted on a structural steel frame 30 which in turn is supported on columns 30a.

Depending from the frame 30 and disposed directly `belowthe calcining chamber HO is a series,of;elongatespouts 3l, each of which discharges finishedproduct squarely onto a corresponding elongate stopplate 64 of the Variable discharge mechansm, the rate of. discharge through .each individual, spout being variably or differentially regulated.

The raw material 55, .in itsprogress downward through feed chutes l|5 andr adjustable sleeves I IB; enters' the-calcining chamber HO, and, by\ means of 'the: uppermost tier. of tunnel. elements' l 25,: is split `up-einto': approximately thetransitory:

columns a' to j', F'i'g. ,11, closing around the tunnel elements in -thesuccessive tiers; thereby forming;the tunnels 222, 223 and224 already'menttioned, This exposesthedescending. materia-1 to thorough :permeation by 'the tempered gases' drawn in'- from the `combustion chamber; Thus; the calcining of the material proceeds uuntilthe lower' portionof the, chamber lw'is reached. Here, satmospheric air, which isdrawn in through thedischargespouts 3l, serves to.- cool the fully. calcined material," immediately; priori` to 'its rdis'- charge Refractory partitionsi58rest'on' the supporting framework 30 :between adjacentdischarge spouts. 31, anddefine, at'least partially, chutes 94:1eading directly into the discharge spouts.` From the lattenthe finished productis deposited on' the stationary stop plates 64, where *it-is arresteduntil removed by operation of variable dischargemechanism.:

The novel variable discharge mechanism-constituting -the;presentinvention maybe .embodied in various forms. the. embodiment of Figs; 1 through ;7 comprising a; reciprocable frame 60, consisting:: of, slotted-` longitudinal members: !illa` and of end members Gflb and 60c,-mounted; for example; on rol-lersei held rotatively in brackets 62 attached..` to' ai stationary framework., The' stationary framework advantageously r includes slotted longitudinal members 61 "andstringers 63, Figx lgall rigidly-:connected' tocolumnsaob; j The stop or arresting plates: 64 'extendtransverselyof the reciprocatory` frame .60to suitthe spacingof the spouts 3 l, and are supported by the stringers 63; Thelower portions of the stationary 'longitudinal members `l form stationary supports, as will be apparenthereinafter.

The finished tproductin tthespouts 31 rrests on the plates d ready 'to be removed therefrom inrelatively small quantities,-which are Varied,*when necessary, in= accordance with the progress of the calcining process taking place in the columns above the respective plates.

ciatd, and the -bar is subjectto reciprocatory motionlaterally of the'plate. v l In accordance withvthe invention, the unit' re-' ciprocatory stroke's of 'theb'ars 'are subject to differentiation in agreement withthe variation in product-removal requirements. For this purpose; the opposite end portions of each' displacement bar, whichextend first 'through the slots in the stationary members '61 and'then through the slotted members soa of 'the reciprocatory iframe 60; Figs. 4 an d 5, finally extend through and be'yond openingsssa defined by jawstab o'f control 'dogs 68: The" openings' sa are approxi-v mately- V sh'aped,` but inverted and the 'dogs 68 aresecured to the' frame fl'; preferably 'adjust: ably, by means fbolts-"`r'fs^crews loxtending through slots fisin the jaws Bab. It shouldbe" noted that the displacem'ent bars 65 rest upon and are "supported by the lower's'lideway portions of the 'longitudinal stationaryframe members 61, but desirably: do not contact the lon gitudinal reciprocatory frameflmemhers Blla' in anyway. Thus, the displacement bars are' not inuenced by the' movement of frame 60 except when they are contacted-by the' dogs 63. Reciprocation ofjthe fr'ame to on its`^support-' ing rollers 6 l actuates allor part of the displacement bars; similarly or differentia'lly, depending upon the settings *of -therespective dogs 'The openingsa in each dog' is just wide enoughat its apex to accommodate an end of adisplacement bar 65,' but diverges s'o as to affordan'increasing amount' of play'or the end of the displacement bar accordingly as the'dog SpO S-. tioned upwardly there'fromz In reciprocating the frame BIL'the" respectivedisplacement' 'bars' 65 push' or jsjpill more or' lessjof'the finished product from the plates 64, thus causing a gradual descent of the material in process, through the calcining cham'ber H0, see Figs'fl an'dj2 j The' representation in Fig." 2 is typical of all the spouts`3l and stop' plates 64. Here, the displacement .ba'r 65 'is shown completelyburied in' the product l5la atthe bottom. ofthesuperim-j posed column e", see Figi 11'. Supposing the b'ar' 65- to 'have been moved' towardstheright from an initial position such. as the dotted-one at -a to th e full-linepostion at the'ri'ght, Will .then have pushed or "spilled ofl. the [plate .a certain quantity of the product l5la, fwhich a portion |5lb is s'hwnyin the actof falling. Finally, the product assumesjits' angle of repose,' as indicated at |'52, while thebargstartstowards theleft on its return stroke' tdtheinitial position and displaces the materialin front of it, breaking through the angle of repose at l52a, and repeat-.

ing, atthe left, the spill ing of the'product similarly, to that at l5lb. The back and orth travel of .the bar 65 continues indefinitely, piling up the product, as at ll; ona floor 12; If desired, the product may fall onto, for example, a belt conveyor (not shown). a w I The difierential dischargecof material from the calcining chamber can -now be explained in its entirety. In Fig. 5., -for example, the ,dogsss are individually adjusted inharmony with any difierential kiln discharge desired.` If a dog. is lowered until the apex of ;therjopening srests'on'a bar 65, then the full reciprocative strokes of the frame 60 are exerted uponthe bar; If', on the contrary, the dog is'raiseduntil the lower'faces of the jaws are even withthe bar, then no part of the* stroke isexerted. upon the bar. Therefore, any, dog;;can `:be adjusted to 'exert Lat either' end thereof, any fractional part of the stroke between zero and maximum.

'Examples of difierential movements of -a bar' '65 on a plate 64' are shown in Fig. 7 where the full lines 65 show the middle position of the bar relative to the plate, and the dotted lines 6517 and- 65c 'show 'alternate *positions of the' bar. i In the instance of 65b, the bar has no motion at the left end; b-ut themaximum stroke at the right end.

Inthe instanceof 650, the barhas a small move-- ment at the right; a`nd"onlya part ofthe full strokeat the left. L Il Theadjustable control dogs ss represent mer- 1ypne convenient-;form of control device which may ibe associated with the 'reciprocatory frame 60 for difierentially controlling the movements makingit either greateraor less, or offsetting it in oneor the'other direction-considered' lcngituclinally of 'a frame member God-from the lengthwise center of the stop plate 64 with which t'is associated; t i 'I v Thus', it issen that a principle involved in' the above type of variable discharge mechanism is the provision for limiting the stroke of an end of a displacement bar,` as desired, within a range afiorded by a predetermined maximum stroke, the limiting -beihgfaccomplished"by control ele'- ments which maybefindependently set to various limiting p ositions within said range.

`{It is' to be noted that the thickness of the dis plalcement' bars shouldbe a little less than the width o' f-th e Slots '13, Fig. 5, in the reciprocatory frame mernbrsifla *and the slots in the station'ary fram'e members 61, so they can be easily withdrawn` in' mtionr 1, 5 'and '6,- is' provided; Obviously, the recipro; cations -are very' slow', so that a considerable speed reduction is required between crankshaft 15 and an' eleetric motor 16, Fig. 6, by which it is advantageouly driven. Also, it is desirable toi have mears for changing the speed of the crankshaft* between" certain 1imits. V To accomplish this' two fold 'p'u rj;os e,` a variable speed mech-.

anismg" "ofstandard'manufacture, such as 'a Reevesf' may be directly connected with the metani-,he 'fReev'es'f being in turn; belted to a compound warm-gear speed reducer 'HI-l, which delivers power by belt to the ,crankshaft 15.

An 'especially high degree of control 'can be exercised over the -dfierential'discharge of ma-' teriall' by' utiliz'ing'displacement' bars that have very 'few'-` of 'which-are exemplified in Figs. 8 to 8D. In Fig. 8, the bar !40 eects a minimum spillifg of' material at the center, which gradually increases to`a m`aximum at both ends. In Fg.'-8A, exactly the reverse is true of the bar [4 l. which -is 'shown in Fig; 9 discharging material.

such discharg should 'be comp ed with a that of the correspondin' prtion of' u'niformly 'com' throughout. 4

!42 effects a maximum spilling:zotimet-material;

atone ,endithereof which;isgraduallyireduced to .ia minimum spilling: at :theother'endr In: Fig 8.0.1 the bar:` l43 is divided; into: az: pluralityof forms which" produce maximum; s ining atl'i'tl'e high rpoints i 4321 and minimum at: theslowpoints. l43b: InFig. v 8D,;- the: ban` [44% is di'vided: into three *wedge-shaped sections ul Ma, lub and [Me: of varying; lengths Heret the spillng; at.. successivezppints along; ther.. bar-isi "difierenti'ated quite closely in proportion to thel eight'of 'any particularpoint above rthe base of the barl a Obviously, a the variation in, the -shapingofxthe ;pro-'1' fileaof abar isinnite; andisalimitedeonly; by:: practical considerations'--of simplicity and 'econ- Q yi . Itisato =be noted that the Slots in athe-;long itudinalmembers Sea of the -movabletfra me sflas Well.: as theslots in the longitudinal members 261 of 'the stationary framework in Figs 1',',4-, and: 5;-,shouldbe of suitable .size inany givenrinstance to accommodate thevariouslv shaped: portions of;agiven.one of the-bars' !Ac -;1104445 Consideraing now the operation of the variable discharge mechanismas applied generally, if-:thecross-section of a body, ofmaterial-t passing through a material treatment or processing; chamberis divided -into small areas; and,` if, mall these. small areas, even 'an approximate uniform ity of burningor calcining can be maintained.`

then. it follows thatthe v summation of I all the' small areas, that is to say, the entireua reaof the aforesaid cross-section,` must show substan'tial uniformity of calcination of; the material The chart of Fig. '12 serves as Clarification) There, the Outline ABCD represents the'trans-- verse -or horizontal area of:a materialitreatment'- or. processing chamben. which, .or' convenience' and' for example, ,may` be divided intoan arbi trary numberof sub-areas, such as a, b,c d,ie,

and f; Each of these sub-areas'may aga-in be di Vided'into fractional parts al aZ-and so on, down;

toj4"inclusi-ve. Each of the fractional sub-areas represents, graphica11y; a space-in which a con'e.- trolld average cliflerential:calcinationsr ayitakew` place. The exact nature of the differential-dis charge is determinednfrom time :to time in accordance with the varying, conditions within? the chamber, .as wellas in 'accordance w-ithithevary ingcharacteris`tics of .any material being opers atd'upon.

The. utility of the difierential or variable zdischarge .mechanism can be very well appreciated b'y eonsidering the apparatus of `Fig. lyawhereinthe :displacement bars 65 are all `of uniformfirec tangular profile. Here the calciningchambenor kiln o is firedrom a combustion chamber disa p'osed at one side-` thereof; as aforeeexplained'* Cnsequentljuthe kiln wall ll2 on-*that= side -is" maintained hot, whereas the .opposite 'kiln wall:

and the end' Wall s I |3 and I !4 haves radiatina.

the combution hamber, are raiedlin order'e tm.

8 slowtdow'm.progressively :across the '2 kim; ;from the hot wall on the combustion';sidetoathe cooler wall om thei' opp osite' side;;the downward sflow of materiali throughhtheekilrra Thezactualslowing down isvmae sufficient' to r, balance the i flow of materiali in accordancewith the *heataavailable progressively:: across the' kilm Asian 22 additional adiistment,the- 1pair zof` dogs: 68 adjacent each endpof -;1the-.:lci1n; ,are raised to further Lslow down thectflowa of amateria;lwineach :of the correspond-.- inggen'd&wallcolumnssa and-512'. This additional forathe-heatiradiated through gthe-zend walls, due consideratiom beingv ,iventhe fact &hat thenie! peaks' H'F'ad'116" show' as' respective' corr'e'-' sponding slopingridg'es; all' 'the said" ridges: in this 'figur b earing reference' numeralsimilar to tloseu'sedir the peaks rrFig: 1. As"the pi1`,

'u continuesftobuild' up; the peaks aregradually rounde'd *out 'so 'the 'pfleassumes 'a' contbursome diiferentially"regulte'd' during the course of any givengoperation'' sampleof"th'discharged mate:

rial may*be"'takerrfrom" time t time' throughout' the -area of discharger and -the -variable 'disch'arge' mechanism a'dju'sted to retifify'* any" tendeh'cy toward"ovr'- bfirnifg *oi-under -burning wherever offthe 'aljqve-decribedWariable 'discharge memanisme Here"tlre'stp' plates themselves are them'ovabl memb'ers' which are reciprocated froms ide 'to -side -transversely of their lengths; while the material 'displa-cement' function' of the -previouslydescribed&displaoement' bars 65- is car-ried out by stationary displacement members extend ing lengthwi'se of andz dpending substantially centrally frbm the respective 'ds oh arge spouts. As ilhstrted, eabhstdp plate 300 `is `positioned direetly tbelowa 'discharge r-spout30 l, which. cor-' respondsstoaldischarge :spout' 3l "ofithe preceding' figuresi 'The' several :stop platesiextend through oppositely disposed stationary; longitudinally slotted;l longitudinaleframeimembers soz, which correspondito: the slotted lon'gitudinal members 61` of:: thewstationary framework previously desoribedej with respect toFigs .4,2 c nd,-at` their re spective ioppositeends, rsti uponand are: sup-.

ported by the lower runs 'of such slotted longitudina frame members 302, sliding thereupon during their limited sidewise reciprocations.

Reciprocation of the stop plates 300 is achieved in the same way as previously'described for the displacement bars 65 o-f Figs. 1, 3 and 4, each stop plate being provided with opposite end extensions 303 'which are received by respective adjustable dogs 68 or the like mounted on a longitudinalreciprocable frame, all as illustrated and described in detail .with respect to the prior embodiment.

The material resting on the several stop plates 300, see Fig. 13, is displaced, i. e. pushed offor spilled, during the sidewiseLmovements 'of such plates, by means of stationary displacement members 300. such members 'are here ;advantageously ,secured to .the respective spouts 301 with which they are associated, being preferably disposed along the longitudinal central axes of such spouts and depending therefrom to just short of contact with the material-receiving surfaces of the respective stop plates 300, In

.instances of other types of discharge openings,

it might be found desirable to secure such mem- ,bers 3 04 to the stationary framework of the discharg mechansm, as, forinstance, to the stationary longitudinal members 302, by meansof end extensions (not shown) of the displacement members 3 04, thereby making the discharge mechanism complete in itselfl as in Figs. i and 5. Although g the displacement members :1300 are shown as sld, curtainpartitions, thereby effectin rea r, l .& n r smok an the bars 55, it is obvious that the respectivedepths thereof may be alteredor "profiledas desired;

either the ends of adisplacement member 304, which is of bar formation, 'serving as hangers ;securing it to its corresponding spout, or the profiling being carried out along its lower edge. From the nature of the foregoing it is seen that, broadly speakin pursuant to the invention material is displacedvor spilled-as" desired, from amaterial-receiving surface, byreason of relative movement between that material-receiving surface and ;material displacement means. It is immaterial, inthe larger view, `whethethe diplacement means moves relative to the ;material-receiving surface or vice Vers-a.

In- Figs. 16, 1'1 and 18 is shown another' embodiment of' variable: or difierential discharge mechanism pursuant to the invention, in which hollow drums l00`made, for example, of sheet y metal, and rotatably-;mountedin aligned groups orsets on shafts o, provide arcuate-naterialreceiving surface in place of thestop plates ,of the prior embodiments. They are placed 'directly -underneath discharge spouts similar in construction to the discharge spouts 30l, of Figs.^13 and 14, so as to leave ailimited space 102: between the spout and the'uppercircumferential'areaof the 'drums !00. The 'material 'displacement-members '304 depend to''just'short of. touching the arcu'ate material-receiving surfaces' of drums 100. The lower' portions `of 'the drums are cut outin 'the form of se'ctors !04, providing inverted V-shaped jaws, and' projecting into' the "sector spaces or jaws are standards [05 which are adjustably mounted on cross-bars !05 of a reciprocable frame !01 mounted on'rol1ers108, thi-S'frame being connected by means of 'a rod !09 to. a drive mechanismsimilar to the one indicated at 13 to 18 in Fi'gs. 5 and '6,"but not shown in Fig.` 16.

' In operation, -supposing theframe' !01 to be reciprocated, 'thestandards |05 are adjusted to Fig. 17, so that the same reciprocative stroke of the frame will rotate the drums !00 through varying 'fractional parts of a single rotation, thereby causing the withdrawal from the discharge spouts 301 of correspondingly varying =amounts of material. The adjustment of the standards I 05 is efiected by means of bolts 132 whichextend through slots 134, Fig. 18, to secure the standards in the notches cut in the respective 'cross-'bars [06.

In'Fig. 16, four drums are shown on each shaft !0 I, each drum being rotatable independently and having its individual standard set at such a height as to cause the corresponding drum to spill a certain differential quantity of material in accordance with the particular setting of the standard.

Assuming that the stroke of the frame !01, Fig. 17, is at the moment towards the right, then the drum |00a is being rotated counterclockwise, at the moment, meanwhile spilling material at !30, because the top of its standard is in contact with the sector face |3 l, and will so continue, until, at the end of the stroke, the standard is in the dotted position |05a. At that time, the sector face 136 will have moved to the position l36a. On the return stroke, the standard idles until it contacts the sector face at l36a and 'commences moving the drum clockwise, thereby gradually stopping the flow of material at !30 and starting the flow on the opposite side of the drum. This rocking back and forth of the drum, with its spilling of material first on one side and then on the other, continues indefinitely. During the same time that the drum ooa is rocked as just described, the adjacent drum l00b stands still until its standard "15, in its movement towards the right, contacts the sector face [38, after which, in moving to the dotted position !050, the standard will have moved the drum I00b counterclockwise to the point where the sector faces |38 and [39 will have assumed the dotted positions l38a and l39a, respectively. This limited counterclockwise movement of the drum !0% will have spilled material (not indicated) at the left of the drum, but much less in quantity than that spilled by the first drum at !30. Thus it is obvious that as any standard !05 is lowered, its corresponding drum, through the increased idleness, spills less and less material, thereby making it possible, as in the case of the discharge mechanism of Figs. 4 and 5, and the disoharge mechanism of Figs. 13, 14 and 15, to closely regulate the performance of a material-processing chamber by means of a differential discharge of its finished product.

The chart of Fig. 12 gives an idea of how closely the^discharge of treated or processed material can be regulated by the novel variable discharge mechanism of the invention. The areas of the 'rectangles designated a, b, c, d, e and f, each comprising four sub-areas, represent those fractional parts of the total treatment or processing zone controlled by the respective sets of movable means and displacement means of any of the above-described embodiments. The discharge within the area represented by any one of the rectangles is controlled wholly independently of the discharge within the area represented by any of the other rectangles. In the case of a displacement bar 65 or of a movable plate 300, the dog at'one end of the bar may be set higher than the dog at the opposite end, with the result that the sidwiseoscillations of the bar or plat will ase-7,315

"discharge opening: "movable "members iiountd at opposite'ends of the displacenjent bars of the series and extending at least' the' full lengthpf the said series; individually adjustable control elements associated with said movable members hending said series of discharge Openingsvertically adjustable dogs, each dog' having a vertically tapered notch therein, said dogs being secured to said movable, frame adjacentopposite ends of the displacenent bars so that their&

notches respectively enga e the saidopposite ends of the displacement bars; and drive means for horizontally reciprocating said movable frame and said dogs transversely of the length of said displacement bars for imparting relative movement to the said opposite ends of the displacement bars.

8. A device as set out in claim 7, wherein the drive means is adjustable to change the speed of reciproeation of the dogs.

9. A device of the class described, comprising a plurality of feed spouts forming a series of gravity discharge openings; a stationary plate spaced substantially directly below each opening; a displacement bar mounted between each plate and discharge opening; substantially horizontal stationary guides for maintaining the displacement bars at a fixed horizontal level; movable members mounted at opposite ends of the displacement bars of the series, extending at least the full length of said series, and having a fixed reciprocating travel; means for actuating said movable members; and a plurality of independently adjustable 'control elements secured to said movable members and arranged to independently engage opposite ends of the respective displacement bars to impart any desired amount of the fixed travel of the movable members independently to each end of the said displacement bars.

10. A feeder according to claim 6, wherein the shape of a displacement bar varies longitudinally thereof.

11. A device according to claim 9, wherein a displacement bar varies in shape longitudinally thereof.

12. Variable discharge mechanism, comprising in combinaticn, a plurality of mutually spaced, elongate stop means having material-receiving surfaces adapted to be disposed substantially directly below the open bottom of a chamber; a corresponding plurality of material displacement means positioned between said material-receiving surfaces and said open bottom; and drive means arranged for effecting relative movement between said stop means and said displacement means so as to cause material to spill off said materialreceiving surfaces, said drive means including a plurality of selectively positionable motion-transmitting elements, one of which elements is positioned at each of the opposite ends of the respective stop means and displacement means,for independently imparting said relative movement at said opposite ends and for determining the rela- "locations along the lengths ;of ;the 'respective material-receiving surfaces. y

13.` A' 'dvice of the class described, comprising a plurality of spouts forming a series of gravity discharge openings; 'a corresponding plurality of partitions fastened to and depending from the 'respective discharge openings; a corresponding pluralityoff movable stop means disposed below 'the respective discharge openings for respective movement' transversely of said partitions; movable longitudinal members mounted at opposite ;ends of the respectivestop means of said series,

extending at least the f-ull length of said series,

'and having a fixed reciprocating travel longitudinally thereo'f; a plurality of independently adjustable drive elements arranged to'impart any ;desired amount-,of ^`the fixed travel of the said mov able longitudinal members, independently, to opposite ends of each stop means; and means for actuating said movable members. o V

14. 'A device of the class described, comprising 5 a plurality of spouts `forming a series of gravity discharge openings; a corresponding plurality of stop means mounted for lateral movement substantially directly below the respective discharge openings and spaced therefrom; and means to impart independently to opposite ends of each stop means, transverse reciprocatory travel, said means comprising a plurality of independently adjustable drive elements arranged at opposite ends of said stop means, a single one of said drive elements at each of said opposite ends of said stop means.

15. Variable discharge mechanism, comprising in combination, stop means, which includes a set of independent stop members disposed side by side and mounted for separate and independent rocking movement on a common axis, said stop members having respective material-receiving surfaces aligned side' by side along said common axis and adapted to be disposed substantially directly below a discharge opening; material displacement means positioned between said material-receiving surface and said discharge opening; and drive means for moving said stop means relative to said material displacement means so as to cause material to spill off said respective material-receiving surfaces, said drive means including selectively positionable drive elemente arranged for respective cooperation with the stop members of said set in determining the respective extents of rocking movements of said stop members relative to one another and the relative quantities of said material sp-illed by the respective material-receiving surfaces of said stop members.

16. Variable discharge mechanism, comprising in combination, stop means, which includes a set of independent stop members disposed side by side and mounted for separate and independent rocking movement on a common axis, said stop members having respective material-receiving surfaces aligned side by side along said common axis and adapted to be disposed substantially directly below a discharge opening, said stop members having, further, respective inverted V- shaped jaws disposed below said material-receiving surfaces and arranged for rocking movement therewith; material displacement means positioned between said material-receiving surface and said discharge opening; and drive means for moving said stop means relative to said material displacement means-so as to cause material to spill off saidrespective material-receivtive quantities of said material spilled at different ing surfaces, said drive means including selec- :mamam -itivey-positionable :standards ex-tending, ;respectively, into said jaws zforimpatin :thermotion of said drive means difierentially `,to :the :respecti ve stop members .in accordance :With the respective relative positions of -said standards,

thereby determnng ..the :respective extents ,of

`;rockingmovements ofsaid stop members; relative 'to sone another and the ,relative quantities :of

said ,material spilled .by the respective material- .receiving surfaces of said stop: members.

17.A device of the, class described, comprising a plurality of spouts forming a series -of gravity discharge openings; -a corresponding plurality of movable stop means disposed belowjtherespective. discharge .openings for; respective movement transversely of said spouts; movable, carrier" ;means :extending` at least the full length; of :said

any .desired amount-,of the :travel of .the `said.

movable means, independently, ?to ;mutually ,difderen& Darts ;of a single stop: means; and means ,'or-moying isaid;carriermeans. v I

THOMA R. EELERBECK.

REFERENCES CITED Theffollowing references are of record inthe "file o'f this patent:

--UNITED :.STATES PATENTS `Number Name Date 'Re.115',797 Draver `Mar. 18, 1924 180',591 Hufiner Aug. 1, 1876 "535,'260 =McPherson Mar. `5,1895 16973510 Mattox Apr. 15, '1902 1','695j501 Opitz Dec. 18, 1928 11880287 s ifton Oct. 4, 1932 '1,973',`191 Wiltfong Sept. 11,1934 23139499 Morgan Dec. 6, 1938 '2,208,622 Blo'dgett .r July'23, 1940 T2',446;752 Fiddyment Aug.10, 1948 

